THE POULTRY WORLD

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 16 November 1929, Page 8

THE POULTRY WORLD

• ERADICATION OF PESTS

EFFECTS OF PARASITES ON EGG LAYING PRODUCTION.

(By Light Feather)

Now that the heat of summer is approaching it behoves all poiiltrymen to be on the qui vive for the enemies of egg production. Farmers often tell me - that their liens prefer roosting in the trees to roosting in the fowl houses. If hens have become accustomed to the Avarm snug quarters provided for them to roost and sleep in and then forsake them for the limbs of trees, ’tis time to look for trouble, which Avill invariably be found in the presence of the dreaded red" mite- Added to which, if tlie red mite is prevalent, it is almost certain body lice will also be taking its toll. Between the two evils it is not surprising the liens prefer to rooist in the trees. As prevention is better than cure, it is well to use dropping boards under the roosts and clean down the boards at least once a week. On some. farms I have noticed the dropping boards, <>n which avus an accumulation which had not been removed for many months. Under these conditions the "fed mile is certain to exist. Another feature I. cannot too strongly emphasise is that the perches should: never be a fixture; they should be so arranged that they may be* instantly removed if necessary. It is under the ends of perches which are fastened down and in cracks and crevices that the vermin make their home and breeding place. Columns of print have been used year after year by poultry writers and authorities urging, poiiltrymen and others to watch and guard against these pests, but the lesson is soon .forgotten—hub there is no getting- away from the fact in the great majority of instances where tlie fowls for no apparent reason become pale, listless and run down, the unsuspected red mite and other vermin are mainly responsible.

* Possibly the (jest eradicator of the pests is the formulae and application advised by Mr. F. C. Brown, chief poultry instructor to the N.Z. Government, in the N.Z. Journal of 'Agriculture- It is as follows: The value of Black .Leaf 4<) (a byproduct of tobacco) for freeing fowls of all kinds of insect pests its not by any means appreciated by poultrykeepers as much as it should be. From 2£lb 31b of this preparation is sufficient to free one thousand birds of any lice that may be upon them. The material for this number can be effectively applied in about fifteen minutes, and the following is a good method ol doing iso. Make a small hole in two opposite corners of a tin containing the material, and pass it along cadi perch, leaving a thin line of the liquid on the perch. Do this at dusk, just before tlie birds' go to- roost. Do not dilute the material with water, or it will not have the desired effect. For the treatment to be really effective it is import-

i ant that all birds should go or be placed on the perches, and not alloived to roost in odd corners of the house. If there is much dust on the perches the liquid ,js apt to run off and be wasted, and to prevent this it is a good plan to first rub the perches over with a damp cloth. If this is done the liquid can be more easily applied to the centre of the perch, and the risk of Avastage Avfll l>e reduced to a minimum. This treatment is rapid in its effect., for if the birds are examined, say, twenty minutes after the perches have been so treated, practically every louse will be dead and Avill -be found on the tips of the feathers. Birds that are in broody-coops, single pens, etc.,